[Federal Register: August 9, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 152)]
[Notices]
[Page43207-43208]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09au99-96]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Fish and Wildlife Service
Central Valley Project Improvement Act, Central Valley, CA
AGENCIES: Bureau of Reclamation and Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Addition of Fish and Wildlife Service as co-lead agency for
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The role of the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has been
changed from cooperating to co-lead agency, as defined under the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) pursuant to the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), in on-going
efforts to prepare the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
(PEIS) on implementation of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act
(CVPIA).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Candlish, Bureau of Reclamation,
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825, (916) 978-5197; or
James McKevitt, Fish and Wildlife Service, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite
130, Sacramento, California 95821-6340, (916) 979-2760.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 30, 1992, the President signed
into law the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of
1992 (Pub. L. 102-575) that included Title XXXIV, the CVPIA. The CVPIA
amends the previous authorizations of the California Central Valley
Project (CVP) to include fish and wildlife protection, restoration, and
mitigation as project purposes having equal priority with irrigation
and domestic uses and fish and wildlife enhancement as a project
purpose equal to power generation. The CVPIA identifies a number of
specific measures to meet these new purposes and directs the Secretary
of the Interior (Secretary) to operate the CVP consistent with these
purposes, to meet the Federal trust responsibilities to protect the
fishery resources of affected federally recognized Indian tribes, and
to meet all requirements of Federal and California law and to achieve a
reasonable balance among competing demands for use of
[[Page 43208]]
CVP water. Section 3409 directs the Secretary to complete a PEIS to
analyze the direct and indirect impacts and benefits of implementing
the CVPIA.
On February 25, 1993, the Secretary approved a memorandum
signifying roles of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the
Service in regards to implementing the CVPIA. The Service's role was
defined as having ``* * *primary responsibility for decisions on
biological resource issues; for studies on fish and wildlife, their
populations and habitat requirements; for fishery restoration program
direction; and for the planning, design, and decisions on the
administration of fish and wildlife facilities.'' Because of this
language and other specifications in the CVPIA, the Service began
implementing, in an interim manner and jointly with Reclamation,
provisions of the CVPIA which met the definition of its responsibility.
It also began participating in efforts to complete the PEIS for
implementing the CVPIA, supporting complete environmental analysis of
long-term program implementation efforts for both Reclamation and the
Service.
Since 1993, the Service has participated in efforts leading to
release of the Draft PEIS for the CVPIA in 1997. Efforts to date
suggest the Service was more a de-facto co-lead agency than cooperating
agency. Service efforts included such things as attending public and
agency meetings, providing responses from the Department of the
Interior perspective on fish and wildlife issues; participating in
decisions regarding assumptions, model usage, and analysis in the PEIS;
and participating in preparation of documentation. Additionally,
possible programmatic-level actions that the Service might take to
implement the CVPIA were discussed and evaluated during scoping
processes associated with completion of the draft NEPA document.
Dated: July 24, 1999.
Michael J. Spear,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Fish and Wildlife
Service.
Dated: July 30, 1999.
Kirk C. Rodgers,
Acting Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region, Bureau of Reclamation.
[FR Doc. 99-20385 Filed 8-6-99; 8:45 am]
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